Flush valve mechanism for tanks



July 13, 1948. H. F. SMITH FLUSH VALVE MECHANISM FOR TANKS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 31, 1944 July 13, 1948.

H. F. SMITH FLUSH VALVE MECHANISM FOR TANKS Filed March 31, 1944 z I I 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

' A ram/5Y5 July 13, 1948. H. F. SMITH FLUSH VALVE MECHANISM FOR TANKS 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 31, 1944 Y Y INVENTORJ HA EIEY FOIED'SM/TH ATTOE/VEYS July 13, 1948.

H. F. SMITH FLUSH VALVE MECHANISM FOR TANKS 4 Sheets-Shed 4 Filed March 31, 1944 S Y, mm M m E x m 1/ [w T w m Y H B a 2 i]: a Z 6 a Patented July 13, 1948 Harry Ford Smith, Lexington, Mansfield Sanitary Pottery,

Ohio, assignor to 1110., Perrysville,

Ohio, a corporation of. Ohio 7 Application March 31, .1944, Serial No. 528,907

19 Claims. 7 (01. 4-53) Thisinvention relates'generally to toilet flush tanks and more particularly to flush valves and associated parts for use with such tanks.

The present invention has asv its main objects the provision of simplified flush valve and flush valve actuating mechanism which is capable of being easily and simply removed from or placed in a flush tank, and the provision of improved liquid sealing means-for a spud type tank.

These objects are realized by the present invention. Certain embodiments of the invention by the use of a detent forrealize these objects the overflow pipe and means for dislo dging the pipe from engagement with the detent, while other embodiments of the invention disclosed herein rely on the volume or rate of flow of liquid out of the tank for retaining theoverflow pipe in valve-open position. All embodiments of the flush val-veinvention herein illustrated include a vertically liftable, laterally swingable, overflowpipe.

In the drawing accompanying and forming'a part of this specification, t

Figure 1 is a vertical, sectional viewshowing a toilet flush tank equipped with one embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a horizontal, line'2..-2-of Fig.1;

FigureB is a fragmentary, of amodified form of. overflow pipe ing and unlatching mechanism; Figure 4 isa horizontal sectional linel ir l of Fig. 3;

sectional view taken on side elevational View view taken on and its latChabout trunnions Figure his a fragmentary, side elevational view,

partly in section, of .anotherembodimentof the present invention; .1

Figurefi is ahorizontal, sectional view. taken on line 6-15 of Fig. 5;

Figure ,7 is a fragmentary, elevational view, partlyinsection, of another embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 8 is an elevational partly in section, taken on line 8 8 of Fig. '7;

Figure 9 is afragrnentary, side elevational view,

partly in section, showing another embodiment of the present invention; I

Figure 1 0 is. an elevation'al view, partly in sec tion, taken on line .Ill--l 9 of Fig. 9;

Figures 11 and 12 are similar, respectively, to Figs. 9 and 10 but showing a modified form ofv liquid The embodiment of the present 1 is showninfigs. 1 and2. l and removable cover plunger 3.

deflector on the overflow pipe.

2 carrying a flushing Vention which comprises the inlet tank An inlet pipe t is connectedthru the bottom of the tank to a source of water under pressure. This pipe, as shown, has screw-threaded engagement with a spud 5 which extends thru the tank bottom, Leakage of water out of the tank around '7 the spud is prevented by nuts 5 and! which have screw-threaded engagement with-the spud and which serve to compress a gasket 8 between the tank and nut t; The inlet .pipe exterior ribs 9 to serve as positioning guides for hushpipe it) which is telescoped over inlet pipe t and has a top end which is closed, except for air inlet openings ll.

Onits opposite exterior sides hushpipe Ill has outwardly extending, diametrically opposed, trunnions E2 to which is pivoted the bifurcated end of a lever It. This lever carries an adjustable cam 54 from which a rod It: extends downwardly and at its lower end is provided with alaterally extending portion which seats in a recess in the lower part of'theinlet pipe 6. The hush pipe ll] also has an integral ear a float lever H at the free ball l iiis attached. Levers ally connected together by link end of which afloat l3 and H are pivot- !9. Float lever i1 carries a cam 26 near the float l8 for a purpose presently to be, described.

Near the upper end of hushpipe 10, dia- 2l extend outmetrically opposite trunnions wardly and form pivots for the flush valve actuatinglever 22. This lever has an opening 23 which is of sufficiently large diameter to receive hush pipe It and to have limited pivot movement 2! without interference from the hush pipe. This lever 22 is engageable with the flushing plungerS for pivoting action about trunnions 2L, At its opposite end lever 22 is pivoted to an ear 24 which is integral with overpipe 25 is hollow, is profiow pipe 25. Overflow I 26 in the form of a holvided with a flush valve low resilient member verging conical surfaces to engage a. seat '2? on a tubular spud 28 which extends thru the bot tom of thetank and defines a passage for liquid 7 to flow from the tank. The overfiowpipezti has a detent 29 near. its lower end which is engageable with a detent support 39 carried by a weir 3| which extends acrossthe interior of the tank and for a short distance along the bottom wall thereof and ispr'ovided with one or more holes 32.

A refill pipe 33 leads fromthe upperend of I hushepipe l0 into the to-p of overflow pipe 25.

The apparatus of Figs. 1 and2 operates sub- ,5 stantilally as follows Assuming that there is liquid in the tank to the level indicated by line A and 4 is cylindrical, has

lfi to which is pivoted having downwardly con-,

3 the parts are in the position shown which they occupy just prior to the operation of flushing the tank, when the flushing plunger 3 is pushed downwardly it engages lever 22 and pivots it about trunnions 2L As lever 22 is thus pivoted, it lifts overflow or flush pipe 25 vertically and that pipe swings laterally due to the fact that the pivotal connection between lever 22 and ear 24 is eccentric to the center of gravity of the pipe 25. This lifting and swinging action brings detent 29 over detent support 39. pressure is released from plunger 3 the overflow When the pipe 25 descends under the influence of gravity until the detent 29 engages support 30. The pipe is maintained in that positionwhile the liquid flows out thru spud 28.

As the liquid flows out of the tank, float ball I8 follows it down, thereby pivoting lever 'I"I=' about its pivotal connection to ear I6 of hush pipe l9 and forcing link thereby pivoting lever I3 to rod I5.-

I9 downwardly and about its connection The downward pressure exerted by link I9 on lever I3 is resisted by rod I5 and lever I3 is pivoted about. its connection tofthat rod with resultant lifting of hush pipe I and opening of the inlet valve at the upper end of inlet pipe 4, thereby permitting water under pressure to. flow out of the inlet pipe and downwardly in the space between inlet pipe'4 and hush pipe I0. While the construction of the inlet valve is shown in Figs. 1 and 2, its operation is not set out in more detail herein for that apparatus and its operation is more completely described and is claimed in my copending application Ser. No. 492,84 flled June 30, 1943, of which this application is a continuation-in-part.

When the water level in tank I falls to a level below top of weir 3I, the rate of downward movement of float ball I8 is decreased because the waterunder the float ball and back of weir 40 3| flows out thru holes 32.' In the "mean time, the water on the other side of the weir has been flowing out thruspud 28 at a much more rapid rate. As float ball I8 moves down at its de-' creased rate of speed, cam engages with de tent 29 and, by adjustment of cam "26', overflow pipe'25 maybe forced laterally off detent support at about the time substantially all the water on the left-hand side 'of the weir in Figs. 1 and 2 has flowed out of the tank. When cam 20 dislodges detent 29 from its support 30, overflow pipe 25 drops vertically and flush valve 26 comes to rest on seat 21 on spud 28, thereby preventing further escape of water from the tank. InFigs. 3 and 4 is shown a tank I, spud 28, with itsseat 21, afloat lever I1, float ball I8, and cam 20, all substantially like correspondingly numbered parts in Figs. 1 and 2. It will be understood that the partsnot illustrated are similar to corresponding parts of Figs. 1 and 2.

Overflow pipe is like overflow pipe 25 of Figs. 1 and 2 and is provided with a detent 29 and a flush valve 26, asin those figures. It differs from that overflow pipe in that it is provided with a detent seating lug 36. A support for detent 29 comprises a two part screw-threaded rod 31 which can be lengthened axially and pressed against blocks 38 having flexible facings 39 which can thus'be pressed into positionretaining engagement against the inner surface of the tank. This lug '36 is so positioned relative to flush pipe 35 that when the latter is lifted the lug '36 will I engage therewith and cause the pipe to swing above suplaterally, therebybringing detent '29 port 31] on" which the detent'will cometo rest the 1 side thereof adjacent However, the pivot ear 4| against opposed blocks when the overflow pipe is permitted to drop after the pressure has been released from the flushing plunger.

The detent 29 is dislodged from its support 36 by cam 20 as the level of liquid in the tank falls due to the flow of water thru the spud 28.

In the apparatus of Figs. 5 and 6 the overflow pipe 40 is substantially like overflow pipe 25 of Figs. 1 and 2, and 35 of Figs. 3 and 4, except that the pivot-engaging-ear 4| and detent 42 are on to the inlet pipe 4.

is eccentric to the center of gravityof pipe 40 so that when the latter lifted it-will swing laterally toward the inlet pipe.- A support for the detent 42 compresses'an axiallyexpansible member composed of rod43 and sleeve 44 which can be pressed 45 faced with flexible v material 46, thereby to press those blocks against the inner surfaces of the tank. A sleeve 41 is rotatably mounted on rod 43 and is provided with a normally horizontal surface 48 which is adapt ed to be engaged by the lower surfaces of detent 42 when the overflow pipe 40 is lifted and swung as above described. An arm 49 is secured to sleeve 41 and carries a float 50 atits free end. It will be understood t at when the overflow pipe has been lifted andswung laterally and its detent 42 rests on the horizontal surface 48 of sleeve 41, the liquid may flow out of the tank while the overflow pipe is held in that actuated position. As the liquid ,level falls below that shown in Fig. 5 for float 56, that float will follow the level of liquid downwardly. As it does so float arm 49 will rotate sleeve 41, thereby moving surface 48 from the horizontal to an inclined position and surface has become steep enough,'-detent 42 will slide off that surface, thereby permitting pipe 40 to fall and bring the flush valve 26 at its lower end into sealing engagement a When the flush valve 26 is thus reseated and the level of water rises in the tank, the float 50 is lifted until a stop 52 thereon comes into en-, gagement with an arm 53 which is clamped in adjustable position againstsleeve 44 by nut 54.

In Figs. 7 and. 8 is shown a modified form of.

the present invention. In these figures a spud 60 projects thruan opening in the bottom of tank I and into an opening in the top of a toilet bowl. An annular packing ring of flexible material 6|. 62 surrounding spud 69 is pressed into liquid sealing engagement with the outside surface of the spud and with the opposed adjacent .sur-

faces of the tank I and bowl 6| when these two members are drawn together as by bolts 63 which extend thruthe bottom wall ofthe tank and thru ears 64 on the bowl. Flexible packing 65 around bolts 63 preventsthe the bolt holes while deformation ofpacking ring 62 prevents leakage of water between "spud 60 and the tank bottom. a

it vertically and overflow valve 1|. portion 12 which wall 13 which has a conical outer surfaceto'emgage the seating surface 14 of spud-60. It will be understood'that when valve'II engages sur-' face I4 and the tank is filled with water;'th'e' valve :will contain Water which will press thethinwa'll i.

when the inclinationofithat 1 with spud 28. g

escape of" liquid-thru This extension has a detent' 16 0110118. side therei g' engagement with 5 of. A support for the detent'IB-comprises a rod I! composed of two parts gether for axial expansion into opposed retaining-socketsin spud 60. -A sleeve 18 is rotatably mounted. on the rod 11 and screw-threaded to-' to project their ends 1 has a top surface 19 which is substantially horizontal-when the detent 16 engages therewith but which maybe moved to-such a steeply inclined position that .the detent'16 will. slide off there from. A plate 80 which is substantially semi-- circularin outline'projects from sleeve 18 and is swingable in spud 60 when sleeve 18 rotates. A stop-8|. on spud '60 limits the downward movement-Eof .plate 80;

Whenthe overflow-pipe I ll is" lifted-so that water flows between valve 1! and seat 14,- some of the outgoing water 'comes'into contact with plate 80 and rotates it from. its normal position Fig; 7 to the position While the as shown by dottedlines in shown in full lines in'that figure.

volume or rate of flow of the water which comes suiiicient to offset into contact with plate 80 is the weight applied by detent 16 to surface!!! on the opposite side of the center of rotation of rod 11, the plate 8!! will be maintained in a downwardly extending. position which will keep angle that I6 thereon. However, when the horizontal surface -19 at such an it will-retain detent the volume-or rate of fioW of the outgoing water 1 decreases sufiiciently, as will-be'the case when most of the water has flowed out of the tank -the weight im'posedby the detentor surface 19 will be greater than the force ofthe water applied to plate 80 and will: be sufficient to rotate-sleeve 18 and dislodge.:.detent -16 therefrom with the result that the overflowpipe will move downi of gravity, whereupon-the overflow pipeslides' 01f spud 60 and returns valve H to seating engage wardly and seat valve Hon spud 60. 1

In Figs. 9 and 1c the tank l, spudani toilet bowl Bl, packing ring 62, -bolt-6'3, ear 64- and packing 65 are all substantially like correspondingly numbered partsshown scribed hereinabove.- In overflow pipe 90 is provided near its lowerend with an overflow valve substantially like valve 1| of Figs. '1 and 8 and is also provided with a de-- downwardly from pipe flector 9:! which projects 90 and across the passage I this deflector includes a flat part an included angle of about 143 tudinal' center line of pipe since pipe 93 is normally vertical, the'upp'er surfaceof part 92 makes anangle of about 37 with a horizontal. I Near the' upper end of pipe 90 a rod 93 is adjustably secured and has loose-fitting engagement with a-flush lever 90 maybe lifted. rod 93 and lever 94 is eccentric to the center of gravity of pipe-9B,- the latter 'willswinglaterally when lifted by lever 94'. is depicted by dotted lines in Fig. 9 where detherethru. As shown;

a force thereon which, while the volume or rate of flow of the water i's'sufflciently high; maintains'the-under surface of the deflector in con.-

tact with the'upper end of thespud; Whenthevolume-'prrate offlo'w' (if-water thru-the spud in-Figs. -7 and B and de- Figs: 9 and 10 the hollow 92' which makes with the longi- 9!! or, in other words;

94 by which 'pipe Since the point of contact of This swinging action flector 92 is shown in engagement with the upper 1 I I tion of said pipe lower edge of the pipe decreases,- as in tank I drops below a exerted on deflector 9! face M of spud 60. I

In-Figs. 1'1 and 12 many of the parts of Figs.

7 to 10am shown with corresponding numerals.

The main difference between the apparatus'of Figs. 9 and 10 on the one hand and lll and I2 on the other hand isin the end of overflow pipe and the-deflector. 1

In Figs. 11 and 12 hollow overflow pipe a deflector 96- extending downwardly and curving laterally from one edge thereof; This deflector extends for slightly'less than 'one-half-the circumference of the pipe, the remainder of the high point substantially of the deflector.

Whenoverfiow pipe swings laterally so that its lowersloping large acute included anglewith the center line of the ipe; it mainly engages the curving valveseating surface M of spud 60 and would not re-- main'in place'against the force of gravity unless some force is applied laterally thereto. That force is supplied when there ume or rate of flow of Water out of the tank thru spud '65. The out-rushing water which engages deflector 9'6 exerts ment with the spud.

Having thus described the invention so that 1. 'In a flush tank having an outlet openinga v flush valve for closing said opening, an overflow pipe having an open upper being positioned thereon near its lower end, pipe suspending means connected to the upper portion of said pipe to lift it vertically to open the valve and to permit its lower end to swing freely laterally in one direction ina predetermined plane to an extent sufficient to move said valve into final open position, and means connected to said pipe by which said valve 'is'held in open position.

an outlet opening,

2. In aflush tank having a flush valve for closing said pipe having an open upper being positioned to lift itvertically toopen the valve and to permit its lower endto swing freely and laterally in one direction in a'predetermined plane to an extent sufficient-to move said valve into final open position, and meansto retain said pipe in valve open position.

3. In a flush tank'having anoutlet opening,

a fiushvalve for closing said opening, an overflow Y pipe having an open' upper end and said valve is the case when the le'vel of liquid certain point;- th'e force will 1 decrease and 1 when: it hasdecrease'd sufficiently so'that it, no longer overcomes the forc'e of gravity/the deflector 9-! will slide -on spud 60 and valve 1| will assume "its position in sealing engagement withseating sur'- 5 construction of the lower- Q5 has slopingupwardly toa opposite the midpart is lifted vertically, it

end edge will rest on thetop surface of spud 60. Since the slopinglower end edge of the pipe makes a is a suflicient vola force thereon which is efi'ective to swing the overflow pipe laterally and bring retain it there until the volume the" force delivered to the the same; I state that what Letters Patent is defined'in end and said valve openingpan overflow end and said valve thereon near its lower end, pipe v suspending-means connected to-the upper por- 2,444,:ataw

posl tionedsthereon' near itsrlower'end, :pipe- "SuS-r pending meansconnected' to the upper end of said pipe .to lift it vertically to open the valve and to permit its lower'end to swing freely and laterally in-one direction-in a to moveinto valve'closed position.

5. In a flush tank having an outlet opening, a

flush valve for closing said opening, a vertical,

pipe carrying said-valve at open-ended, overflow its lower end, pipe suspending means connected to the upper portion'of said pipe, means connected to said suspending means tolift said pipe vertically endto swing freely in apredetermined to move saidvalve means .connected to may be held'in-open-position. a

and laterally in one direction plane to an extent sufficient into final open position, and

6. In a flush-"tank-having an outlet opening,

a fluslr'valve for closing said opening, a vertically liftable and laterally swingable, open-ended, vertical overflow pipe connected'a-t its lower endto said valve, means including an operating arm pivotally connected to-the upper portion of said pipe eccentric .to its center of gravity to lift said pipe vertically to open the valve and to permit predetermined plane to x an extent suflicient to move said valve intofinalopen-position, and movable means to retain'said opening,

said pipe by'which said valve to openthe valve and to permit the valve 1 it to swing -freely laterally in onedirection in a predetermined plane'to an extent sufficient to final open position, and) means'to retain said pipe in valve-open posimove said valve into pipe connected to said valve, means near the upper end of said pipe to lift open position, adetent for said pipe when it is in valve open position, and means-for swinging the'lower end of. the. pipe into engagement with said detent, said means pipe which is movable laterally by liquid passing thrusaidopenin m having anioutlet opening, a flush valve for closing said'op'eningzan overflow it vertically :intov valve having an outlet opening,

including a vanezon the movably fixed'to the exterior, means to'actuate said pipe into valve said detent from said support, 1

9. In a flush tankhaving an outlet opening, a

open position, a support posi-j tioned to engage saiddetent whensaid pipe is lifted andswung laterally,-and means to dislodge i,

flush. valve for closing said opening, a vertically liftable and laterally swingable overflow pipeoonnected to said-valve andhaving'a detent immova-" bly .fixed to-theexterior, means to actuate said pipe'intovalve open position, a support "POSi-Fi tioned to engage said detent'when said pipe, is lifted and swung laterally, means on=the pipe to,

engage with said support as the pipe is lifted to limit the vertical movementof the pipelandj posi-,

fively'io fswinggtherpipe' laterallyianda-causeatlie' to engage the support, and means to dis detent lodge said-detentfromisaid support. 1 x

10. In a fluslrtank having 'an'..outlet opening; a flush valveuforvclosing said "opening, a vertic'ally liftable and-"laterally swlng'able overfiow'pipeconnected to said valve and having a' detent immovablyflxedztofthe exterior thereof, a support positioned ,to engage said detenhwhen said" pipe is liftedvand swung laterallyuand means to rotate I the detentengaging portion of said"support to dislodge said-"detent therefrom, means to actuate said pipe int-o valve "open pos'ition, and means'to retain said pipe'vinvalve open position. f

1-1. In a fiushtank havingan'outletopening, a flush valve for; closingsaid' o'pening, a vertically liftable and "laterallyvswingable overflow pipe" connected to said'v'alve, means to lift 'andswing said pipe into valve open position,$'means jto' re-'" 0 .tain said pipe in valve openrpositiomend means including afloat-lever to'disengagesaid 'pipefrom' said -last named means.

12; In a flush'tank flushvalve and means actuated by theflow of liquid thru said openingto maintain said' valve in laterally" flow of" liquid exdisplaced position while "said ceeds a predetennined-rate:

13.: In a'flush tank" having an outlet openingyaz' flush valve -f0r'c1osingsaid opening; an'overflow r" pipe "connectedto said-va1ve,mea'ns near-ithe" upper end of the pipe to liftit' vertically-audio" permit'its lower end to swing laterally'into valve": open position, and mea'nscontrolled by the var-- having an-outlet opening, a; *for closing said opening, manually a operated means to open said 'valve 'by lifting it vertically andpermittin'g it to swing laterally,

ume of liquid-flow thru said outlet for retaining" the pipe in valvelaterally-displaced position; having, an outlet opening;

ng said opening, "an" over I flow pipe connected to"said-valve, means "nea'r the upper end ofthepipetojlift"itvertically and to permit-it toswing laterallyinto-valve-open position, and-fluidcontrolledmeans for-retaining said pipe'in-valve laterally displaced position, said means being actuated by more than. apredetermined' volume 'of fiow'of liquid. thru :said' 15. An -overflow -pipe for :a tiolet-xflusn tank comprising-a hollow-tube-havinga laterally in clined vane immovably'connected thereto at itslower end. i

comprising 'ahollow clined vane immovablyattached to and projectingfromz-theiower,edgeyof thepipe; pipe for'xa toilet flushw-tanlr comprising a hollow tube having a laterally ini clined vane immovably attached to andprojecting from-the lower-edge of the'pipe 'and' adjustablelifting meansnear the upper end'of the tube.

18'." A flush valve for *a toilet" flush tank comprising. an overflow pipe-having a vane extending" downwardly andilaterally from part of its lower edgeandia=valve-mounted thereon above said vane, said valve having a -tubulan-portion "thru which the pipe extends and a thin skirt-portion extending upwardly and outwardly therefrom,

:being deformable-into*sealing 1 contact with; a valve seat-by :pressure exertedbyliquidwithin said s irt portion. a

said skirt. portion 19. A flush valve for a toilet-flush tank tomprising an overflow-pipehaving a vane. extending downwardly and laterally efrom part oii-its lower edge-andiavalve mounted thereon aboveisaid vane, said valve having ;a tubular portion thru which the pipe extends and. a thin skirt portion extending upwardly and outwardly therefrom, said skirt portion being deformable into sealing contact with a valve seat by pressure exerted by liquid within said skirt portion, and adjustable lifting means near the upper end of the tube.

HARRY FORD SMITH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Number Number Number Doherty Dec. 17, 1889 Name Date Pasman Apr. 8, 1919 Pasman Aug. 3, 1920 Haas Nov. 9, 1926 Haas Mar. 15, 1927 Bell Nov. 29, 1932 Brotz Jan. 24, 1933 Turner et a1 Dec. 4, 1934 a FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Aug. 18, 1898 Italy Oct. 20, 1939 

